Dusk Maiden
by Lomewen
Summary: Chapter 8 posted!!! A story about one of Aragorn and Arwen's daughters. Danger has returned to Middle Earth. Rated PG13 for violence and romantic affairs.
1. First Sign

Dusk Maiden   
**A/n: some of these characters were created by JRR Tolkien and some were created by my friends and I. There has been a name change due to confusion. I apoligize for anything thing related to this, please don't hurt me.**

  
There are some of us who have the same pen name as these characters not because they are to represent us, but because we like the name. I have changed a name in this story from what it previously was due to the person's consent. I apoligize for any confusion or anger.   
  
    Lomewen got up to her feet and brushed her britches off. She watched as her older sisters giggled and walked away. It was tough being the youngest and the only warrior in the family. Why was she so different? Her older sisters and her brother had beautiful black hair and blue eyes while she was a strawberry blonde with mud brown eyes. She just might as well forget ever trying to fit in with the twins, Tinuviel and Morwen. She climbed onto her horse that she had tied up nearby and rode off thinking, _They will need me. Something will happen that they can't fix with magic and I will have to come in and help them._   
  
    The woods near Rivendell were peaceful without the ring in existence. Her father had told her the story of his part in the fellowship many times. She seemed to be the only one interested considering it was mainly fighting and there wasn't much magic to please her older sisters. Lomewen stopped daydreaming and snapped back into reality when she noticed that her horse had stopped. She looked up to find her adult friend Shara standing next to a very muddy Legolas. She giggled but quickly shut up when she saw the elven lord glare at her. "What happened to you?" Lomewen asked. Shara was thrown into a laughing fit. For an adult, she had a very childish side to her.   
  
    "Shara questioned my ability to become dirty and I told her that I can very well be messy. I guess she DIDN'T believe me because she then pushed me into a mud puddle," Legolas noted with an irritated tone. Shara was gone, she had the tendency to disappear like that, but it was always for a reason. She crossed the road farther ahead then was soon standing next to Legolas with a pair of her clothes in her hands. Legolas and Lomewen both rolled their eyes because they knew that Legolas had no choice but to wear Shara's clothes. He grabbed the britches but left her with the blouse as he trudged off the road to change. Shara was laughing the whole time he was gone but quickly shut up when he entered the clearing with her britches on and bits of dried mud on his bare chest.   
  
    "Well, we must be off. Legolas and I have some things to do before tonight's council," Shara said dragging Legolas back towards Rivendell, Lomewen looked over her shoulder and saw the pouty face on Legolas. She started to feel sorry for the old chap. Having to put up with Shara's pranks was too much for anyone to handle; not to mention that they were on the council together, and Shara was completely and utterly in love with Legolas. Lomewen shook the thought from her head and continued her ride through the forest.   
  
    The road soon became to skinny for her horse, so Lomewen hopped off and looped the reins over a tree branch. and continued on foot. The forest was getting unusually dark from just after luncheon. But she kept pressing on. Lomewen had no motive but then to just get away from ordinary life. The forest was almost black now. Lomewen could barely see her hand when it was arm distance from her face. Suddenly the forest flared up as if it was on fire. Lomewen's eyes grew wide with fear and she turned and ran to her horse. She was out of breath by the time she reached the tree to which he was tied. The council would be in session right now and she must go to them.   
  
    Lomewen galloped into Rivendell and hopped off her horse and sprinted to the meeting circle. Aragorn saw her running from a distance off. He held her in his arms as she whispered into his ear and then she blacked out. Aragorn walked back to the circle with a paranoid look on his face. People questioned what happened. Legolas stood up, and, concerned, put his arm around Aragorn's shoulder. "What did she say? What's wrong, Aragorn?" Aragorn looked up. A tear was rolling down his cheek.   
  
    "My daughter, Lomewen, just saw a fiery eye." 


	2. A New Evil

Dusk Maiden   
Chapter Two

  
  
    "A fiery eye? It can't be Sauron, can it? We destroyed the ring!" Legolas was enraged. He stormed out of the council circle. Shara got up and ran after him. Aragorn sunk to his knees; sobs shook his body. This could not be happening. After these many years he suddenly came back. Not to mention that it wasn't possible to come back. Arwen came back with Lomewen hanging limp from her arms. _No, she's not dead, she just blacked out,_ Aragorn reminded himself. He followed Arwen up into a room in Rivendell, leaving the rest of the council sitting there shocked.   
  
    Shara cought up with Legolas near the river. He was just stading there starring. Shara wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close. He unwrapped himself and turned around. Shara and Legolas just stood there looking at each other. Then they hugged each other. They were both crying by this point. How could something like this return? After so long of having a blanced world, evil will rein again. Legolas and Shara released their grip on each other and head back to the council hand in hand.   
  
    "Just sit by her side and get me when she wakes up," This was more than Aragorn could handle. He left the room with Arwen watching over their daughter. Morwen and Tinuviel were huddled in cloaks in the corner. They too were weeping. Aragorn left this behind as he walked outside. He sat on the rail at the edge of the balcony and swung his legs over so they were hanging off the edge. He watched the conversation below him. The council was furiated.   
  
    "Silence!!!" Legolas yelled. The council stared at him. Legolas continued, "Maybe we are jumping to conclusions, maybe this isn't Sauron." Members of the council murmered amoungst themselves. "Let us talk to the girl when she awakes," Legolas concluded, "We shall hear a detailed telling of what she saw. Perhaps its is not a source of great evil but rather cheap street tricks!"   
  
    "Foolish elf!" A dwarf called out. "The eye is no more a cheap trick than I am a balrog! It is Sauron and it must be destroyed!" The council roared out in agreement. Another uproar like the last one awoke the poor sleeping child. Morwen ran out to fetch her father. Aragorn stumbled back into the room rubbing him temples, this was not going to be good.   
  
    "Morwen and Tinuviel, please go fetch the painting of Sauron's Eye and bring it back. Quickly," Aragorn shooed away the twins. Then went back and leaned over the railing. He called to Legolas and Shara hoping that he could be hear over the uproar. And he was. The two cam scurring up two the room and sat down beside the bed in which Lomewen lie. Morwen and Tinuviel walked calmly into the room holding a small canvas. Morwen handed it to Aragorn. He was pleased with his daughters work because they fetched him the most well made painting. It was a close to the real eye that you could get.   
  
    "Lomewen, sweetie, can you still remember what you saw in the forset?" Shara asked calmly. Lomewen nodded. Shara motioned for Aragorn to hand her the canvas, and she then held it up. "Did the eye look like this?" Lomewen shook her head, _no_. They let out a sigh of relief. It was not Sauron. He was now clearly dead. Lomewen tried to sit up, but Arwen gently pushed her back down.   
  
    Legolas was standing in the corner of the room and everyone forgot he was there until he spoke, "Lomewen, without sitting up can you tell us what they eye did look like? We are still concerned for the safety of Middle Earth. Lomewen cleared her throat. They waited for her to speak but she was silent. "Morwen, please fetch your sister some water and a wet cloth," Legolas ordered. He knew that she would soon pass out again if she wasn't cooled down and color returned to her cheeks.   
  
    The room was silent. Outside was silent because word had drifted that it was not Sauran's eye that Lomewen had seen. Morwen soon came back with a cool damp cloth and a mug of water. Legolas stepped forward and collected the two items from the girl. He folded the cloth up and laid it upon Lomewen's forehead. He proped her up with pillows and handed her the mug of water which she took very small sips from.   
  
    Lomewen closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a second before she shuddered again. Lomewen slowly opened her eyes and started to discribe the eye in detail. "It is not orange flames that surrond the eye, but rather blue. And unlike what Sauron's pupil is believed to look like this pupil was very round. I saw a name flash in my mind before I came to you the name was --" Lomewen stopped suddenly.   
  
    Lomewen's brother entered the room. "Continue, sister," He pressured, "The council must know everything that you know." Arwen shot her son a glare and he sulked out of the room. Arwen turned back to her daughter in bed and nodded. _Your brother is right, Lomewen. Please continue._   
  
    "The name that flashed through my mind was Zobotieth," Lomewen finished. He eyes rolled back into her head as if she was about to fait, but Shara and Legolas were by her side fanning her until she regained herself. Aragorn walked out of the room onto to the balcony to address the council.   
  
    "Evil does not come in the form of Sauron, but rather a new enemy called Zobotieth. We will learn how to fight him, and once again, we will win!" The council cheered in agreement. But soon quieted when they remembered that they know nothing about this new form of evil except his name. 


	3. Runaway

Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 3   
**Disclaimer, as I have said before I do not own any LOTR characters or places, I only borrow them and JRR Tolkien has full credit for creating them and his publishing service has full credit for publishing the books.   
Please enjoy my story and if you review my story I'll review one of yours if I haven't already.**

  
  
    The sun rose over Middle Earth awaking Lomewen and her sister Morwen with a start. They realized that Tinuviel was trashing about in bed, crying out in fear. Morwen, fearing for her sister, cradled her. She whispered for Lomewen to run and get Shara.   
  
    Lomewen ran out of the room and hurried down the stairs. She grabed a pole to help her turn the corner sharper. She swung into the hallway and bounded down a few more steps. She skidded to a stop in front of Shara's room. There she knocked a few times loudly and quickly. To her surprise, Legolas opened the door.   
  
    "L-legolas, is Shara in there?" Lomewen stammered with suprise. Shara's head peeked over Legolas' shoulder. Lomewen sighed with relief.   
  
Shara ducked under Legolas' arm and stood in front of him. "Whats wrong, dear? Oh, don't worry about Leggy here, we were just discussing our newfound evil." Legolas chuckled at Lomewen's disgusted look. "Oh, oops, I meant that he and I were talking about Zobotieth. My room is the only place we could talk without dwarven insults. Anyway, whats the matter?"   
  
    "It's Tinuviel, shes having some sort of attack in her sleep. Come quick, please?" Lomewen was talking so fast she gasped for breath. Legolas pick her up and put her on his shoulders as Shara started running toward the staircase.   
  
    Shara burst through the door into the room followed by Legolas and Lomewen on his shoulders. Legolas bent over and Lomewen jumped onto her bed. Morwen had waken Tinuviel and had left to find Aragorn. Tinuviel was trying hard not to cry and was shaking.   
  
    Shara ran to Tinuviel's side and held her, rocking back and forth, she hummed an elvish song to calm Tinuviel. Legolas tapped Lomewen on the shoulder and motioned her outside. They stood next to each on the balcony, resting on the railing. Legolas was just staring straight a head. This new found evil didn't seem to phase him, but who knows what he was really thinking. Both could hear Shara and Tinuviel talking in the room, but neither of them dared to listen closely.   
  
    Legolas stood up with a start and started down the stairs, only pausing when Lomewen called after him. He turned around and cocked an eyebrow. "Where am I going? I need to get away from Rivendell, I feel too tied down here. You must stay. Don't tell Shara where I am going." He turned and counded off the last steps. Lomewen watched as he ran to the stables. Shara stood next to her and followed Lomewen's gaze.   
  
    "Where is Legolas going?" Shara asked confused, "Tinuviel doesn't need a healer, she's fine now." A smal tear rolled down Lomewen's cheek. "Oh," Shara realized, "Leggy isn't getting a healer, he's leaving us." Lomewen looked into Shara's eyes and knew what she must do. As Shara went back inside with Tinuviel, Lomewen bounded down the stairs, ran to the stables and tacked up her pony. She grabbed his reigns and mounted him. They galloped out of Rivendell chasing Legolas. 


	4. A Forest Retreat

Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 4   
**See previous Disclaimer and Author's Note.**

  
  
    "Legolas!" Lomewen screamed into the distance. She had lost sight of the elf lord a while back and was worried. "Legolas!" She yelled again. Lomewen rode hard, it had been sevral hours since she left Rivendell and She would have to stop and water her horse. Lomewen's ears picked up the sound of running water ahead. She had already lost sight of Legolas so she could stop, with only one path to follow she knew that she could keep follwing him. She slowed her horse so he was walking and rounded a bend. A stream came into view and so did Legolas and his horse. Lomewen sighed with relief and she jumped of her stallion and ran to the elf lord. She threw her arms around his waist and startled him.   
  
    "Who the-- Lomewen? Why did you follow me? I told you that I had to get away! Did you leave Shara?" Legolas had a stern look on his face that made Lomewen suddenly want to go back.   
  
    "Shara was upset that you left, Tinuviel is fine now, I knew from the way Shara looked that I must find you and bring you back. Please forgive me for disobeying your orders." Lomewen stifled a sb and she hugged Legolas and the two of them sat down in the dirt near the stream.   
  
    "There, there. I forgive you. I was only going for a ride to sort out everything in my head. I was planning to come back tomorrow, but since you are here we might as well ride together," Legolas comforted Lomwen. She looked into his eyes and smiled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her horse wandering off the path.   
  
    "Bronze! Bronze get back here! Where do you think you are going mister?" Lomewen grumbled as she chased after her stubborn horse into the woods. Legolas followed, chuckling to himself. Lomewen caught up to her horse and found him nibbling on some licoln. She grabbed his reigns and turned around, she shrieked and fell over in surprise. Legolas loomed over her laughing. He offered his hand to pull her up but she batted it away and jumped to her feet.   
  
    "Ever so sorry to have scared you," Legolas noted still laughing.   
  
    "I guess I'm just really jumpy about what happened yesterday," Lomewen muttered. She was a bit embarresed about being scared like that, but she reminded herself that she was still young and very jumpy. The two of them walked their horses back to the road and mounted they continued at a slow pace not talking, just thinking.   
  
    _Why me?_ Thought Lomewen, _Why did Zobotieth first come to me? Why now? Why?_   
  
    Legolas stared into the distace as he thought, _This new evil is just another power hungry monster. We will find a way to destroy him. But how?_   
  
    Lomewen and Legolas looked at each other and at the same time they both said, "I wish we were Hobbits!" They realized that they what they had just said and looked away, Lomewen's face grew hot with embarresment. She looked over a Legolas, "I just said that I wanted to be a Hobbit because when they are in the Shire they are seperated from the world and don't face evils unles the evil passes through the shire."   
  
    "We think alike Lomewen, but I am an elf and you are part elf, and that's the way our life is meant to be. There is no changing it and no escaping it. Life takes a toll of everyone, I can see it in your sister already, they both are weak in physical strength but strong in magic. Life has started to get to you as well Lomewen, in the past day I have seen you grow older than you were meant to grow. You are wise beyond your years and you will suffer in the future," Legolas thought outloud. Lomewen stopped her horse and just sat in the saddle thinking. She knew what he was talking about, she got along better with the adults and nolonger liked to play foolish games.   
  
    Legolas had stopped the horse too, he looked back at Lomewen, her brow crumpled in deep thought, then he looked at the sky. The sun had hit noon, it was overhead and the day was warm. They would have to continue off path or they would over heat. He turned back to Lomewen and she was still thinking deeply. "Come, come, the day will soon get hot. We must continue off path," Legolas making a clicking noise with his tounge to get his horse moving. Lomewen perked up the the click and kicked her horse to get him to follow the elf lord. 


	5. Pranksters

Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 5   
**Author's Note, see past chapters**

  
  
    _"Lomewen, you know very well what I want! I want power. I shall control Middle Earth! I will control you!" Zobotieth's fiery eye grew larger and hotter, it burned everything around it including Lomewen, she could see her flesh being burnt, the pain overwelling she was crying but her tears were soon steam before you could even see then. Lomewen cried out in pain._   
  
    "Lomewen! Lome, are you alright! Wake up, speak to me, its okay, its just me, Legolas," Her screaming had woken him up and he was shaking her shoulder gently. Her eyes blinked open but she just started blankly at him, she was shivering although it was quite a warm night. Lomewen blinked several more times before she seemed to notice that Leglas was leaning over her holding her in his arms. "Lome, what happened? It was just a dream, but please tell me what happened."   
  
    "Z-z-zobotieth...Zobotieth," Lomewen's teeth were chattering, "He spoke to me, telling me that he wanted to rule Middle Earth, then his eye flared up and it burnt everything around me, even me!" Dawn's sun was peeking over the mountain tops and the forest was filled with a warm orange light. Legolas hoped that the new light would warm Lomewen. He watched her curl up inside her bedroll.   
  
    _She is suffering right in front of me. I have seen this before in Frodo whe he bore The One Ring. There was nothing I could do about his suffering then, and sadly, there is nothing I can do to help her now._ Legolas sighed and started to roll up his bedroll. He strapped it to his back, beneath his quiver and his bow. He looked back over to Lomewen. She had climbed out her bedroll and started to roll it up as well, she strapped it onto her horse's saddle. Her bedroll was something that she never left Rivendell without. It was always strapped to the back of her saddle and this was the reason why.   
  
    "Folk back in Rivendell shouldn't be up right at dawn so we have some time to ride and talk. Perhaps we could go to Mirkwood? If it pleases you," Legolas really needed to get Lomewen's mind off of Zobotieth and her disgusting nightmare. Lomewen looked at him and shook her head.   
  
    "I wish to go no where but back home," She said mounting her horse. He did the same.   
  
    "Lead on m'lady," He said. Lomewen kicked her horse and he clicked his tounge, both mounts moved slowly with stiffness from their awkward sleep in the forest. Both riders said nothing to each other and never tried to speed their horses up. They rode slowly through the forest. Lomewen suddenly pulled back on her reigns to stop her horse. Legolas's mount stoped suddenly so it didn't run into Lomewen and her horse. She turned around in the saddle.   
  
    "You go back without me. I need to do something," Lomewen kicked her horse and steered him off the path and watched Legolas continue down the path. Lomewen found the stream that she met Legolas at the day before and followed it.   
  
    _Just as I suspected,_ Lomewen thought to herself. She had stopped her horse before a deep pool. The stream was flowing from it and a waterfall was flowing into it. The water was cold. _It comes from the mountians,_ Lomewen thought. She dismounted and stood at the edge of the pool. A twig broke behind her and she turned around as she was pushed backwards into the pond.   
  
    The cold water rushed around her as she plunged into the blue depths. Lomewen kicked up and as her head broke the surface she could hear laughing. Gasping for breath she rubbed the water out of her eyes. She spotted a familliar face. She swam to the shore and climbed out. Her clothes stuck to her skin and she shivered.   
  
    "Got you! I have waited a long time for this moment," It was Elderith, one of her friend. He had snuck up behind her and pushed her in. His elven figure allowed him not to be heard until he stepped on that stick. Lomewen grumbled and stomped past him. He was still laughing pretty hard. She suddenly spun around and shoved him really hard. He lost his ballace and rolled down the bank right into the pool. Lomewen grinned as he clambered out.   
  
    "Maybe you should think twice before attacking me again," Lomewen said smugly. Elderith growled and removed his soaking tunic. He rang it out and threw it on top of Lomewen's bedroll. She grabbed it and threw it back at him. It made a grusome _smack_ as it hit his bare chest. He whinced and picked it up out of the dirt. Elderith slung his tunic over his shoulder.   
  
    "So what's this I hear about you finding this new evil?" He said with a laugh. Lomewen could tell just by looking at him that he didn't believe it.   
  
    "Why is it funny? This is a very serious matter and it is true!" Lomewen glared at Elderith, he stopped laughing.   
  
    "True or not, you've got the whole council in a uproar. Tales have traveled far and everyone is scared. If this is a prank Lome, then you will be in deep trouble when it is discovered that it is not true," Elderith was serious, for once, but not for long. He smiled and playfully punched Lomewen in the arm. "Are you heading back to Rivendell?" He asked.   
  
    "Aye. Where is you sister? You two always travel together," Lomewen noted with intrest.   
  
    "She's back in Rivendell, I heading back there too," He started walking back to the path. Lomewen grabbed her horse's reigns and followed.   
  


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**Now I'd like to take the time to reply to some of my reviews that I got. Thank you everyone so much for reviewing!   
  
Nienna: I review and hold no grudges. I really liked your story and I felt that I should put your flame behind me.   
  
Jade and Wendy: There is no major romance line to this story, this is the little affair of Shara and Leggy. Please keep in mind that Lomewen is just a girl.   
  
GreyLadyBast: I used Leggy as a pet name, like pookie or schnookums, only less cheesy. If you have a better suggestion for a pet name tell me and I shall use it and give you credit.   
  
Wen Quendalie: Thanks for your review. I would review your only story but I perfer not to read NC-17s. Sorry.**


	6. Believing the Girl

Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 6   
**Must I put an author's note on every chapter? See previous**

  
  
    Arwen sighed when she saw her daughter and Elderith running through the grass in Rivendell. She walked and stood in front of them. They stopped and looked at her. Arwen had her hands on her hips and she shook her head in dissapointment. "What happened to you two?"   
  
    Lomewen and Elderith turned to each other and both said together, "It was your fault!" They blinked and started laughing. Lomewen stopped suddenly when she noticed that Arwen wasn't enjoying any of this. "He crept up behind me and pushed me into a pool of mountian water and when I got out I pushed him in. It was both of our fault. But! He started it!" Lomewen stuck her tounge out at Elderith who glared at her and started to chase her. He dove at her feet and brought her tumbling to the ground. They both rolled over onto their back laughing. Arwen walked over to them and glared. Lomewen scrambled to her feet. She looked down in shame.   
  
    "Lomewen, your father and I are going to a Council Banquet and we have been told to bring you along, but you cannot go looking like that. Go clean up and change your clothes. Shara has delieved a dress that she says fits you. Come down as soon as you are done." Lomewen nodded and scurried up the nearby stairs. Elderith watched her go and clambered to his feet. He picked up his fallen tunic and strolled to his house in Rivendell.   
  
    Lomewen bounded into her room and spotted two dresses laying out on her bed. She looked back and forth between them but discarded the one that was light blue for she knew that she never looked good in that shade. She picked up and cream and gold dress. She went to go wash up and to change into her dress. Soon she emerged from her room. Arwen and Aragorn were standing around waiting for her and when she came out they stood up without saying anything and left the room, Lomewen followed.   
  


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    Elderith entered his room to find Aarivale sitting on his bed. She looked at him and rolled her eyes. He was a mess. His wet tunic dripped down his back leaving little wet pathways through the mud, his hair was mussed and his britches were soaking. "What the hell happened to you?" She asked in an angry tone.   
  
    Elderith smiled, "I got Lomewen back for locking that frog in here. I pushed her into a pool of mountain water, only she got me off guard and also pushed me in. Then when we got back to Rivendell I tackled her and that is why I am muddy," He chuckled and grabbed a fresh pair of britches that Aarivale had gotten out for him.. He left into a side room to change and emerged with his wet clothes in his hands. He left the room to hang him clothes outside. His twin followed him.   
  
    "Lomewen, eh? Did she mention the new evil?" Aarivale asked with a joking tone. She didn't believe it either. Elderith turned slowly around, he had a straight face on. Aarivale was getting uncomfortable, she looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. Elderith went back into his room and flopped down on his bed. Aarivale sensed that he had left and followed.   
  
    "I'm started to believe her, Aar. She has the whole council in an uproar and she is so convinced. Even though Lomewen is only 12, she would know better than to try and pull this large of a prank," Elderith said into his pillow.   
  
    "El, you are 16! Please don't tell me that you are siding with a _child_!" Aarivale gasped. Elderith mumbled something into his pillow, then rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Aarivale turned her back to Elderith. _Could it really be true, my twin believes her and so does everyone else. Could I be trying to tell myself that it could never be real?_ "El?" Aarivale asked turning around.   
  
    "Eh?" Inquired Elderith.   
  
    "Do you really believe that girl? I mean, just before you left both of us were convinced that it was a prank. And now we are both questioning ourselves. Do you really believe her?"   
  
    "Yes, I do and so does the council for they are having a banquet tonight and she has been invited."   
  
    Aarivale looked horrified, "Excuse me for a moment." She walked out of the room and Elderith could hear a muffled scream before she came back in. He laughed and rolled over muffling his chuckled with the pillow. Aarivale sat beside him and mussed with his hair. 


	7. Tea with a Fool

**Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 7   
  
I don't own the characters that Tolkien wrote about. My friends and I only own the characters we created.**

  
  
  
    Lomewen stared at the piece of veal in front of her. She wasn't hungry and she couldn't focus on anything that was being said around her. Arwen kept leaning over and whispering for her daughter to eat something, so Lomewen took the bread roll from her plate and nibbled a bit of the edge and set the roll back down. Her mother sighed, this wasn't what she had in mind, but her daughter obviously wasn't going to eat anything.   
  
    The dinner droned on. Elves and dwarves argued, Elrond tried to hush them, and Aragorn kept asking a question that no one answered. Lomewen's head was throbbing from the noise. She stood up, "My elders! Listen to yourselves. With all this arguing we might as well kill ourselves on the spot and leave this land to the new evil. Please, don't argue, we are all in this together." Lomewen turned from the dining hall and ran. Her short hair blew behind her whipping around with the gold ribbons hanging from the flower circlet around her head.   
  
    She burst out through the great doors and stood face to face with her brother, Elderan. "I was waiting for you to crack. I could hear all that was going on in there, and you aren't the type who can stand noise," He mocked. Lomewen scowled and pushed him aside trudging down the path. Lomewen wondered why her bother was mocking her; he was the wimp in the family. Lomewen thought back to a time when she was six. Her family took trips to Mirkwood to visit the wood elves. Lomewen and her sisters loved the giant spider webs and since she carried an Elven blade there was no real worry. The three sisters wanted to try and pass through a spider web by passing through openings. Her brother at the time was 12 and he just cowered behind Aragorn because he was scared of the giant spiders. Lomewen laughed to herself. She was the true warrior in the family.   
  
    It was dusk when Lomewen sat down on the grass. The important people were at the banquet so Lomewen was startled when someone gently laid their hands on her shoulders. She turned around and looked up at the familiar face. It was Aarivale, Elderith's twin. "Did I startle you, Lome?" She asked with an unusual soothing voice. Lomewen nodded. "Don't be frightened," Aarivale said, "I want to take you somewhere." Lomewen stood up and turned to face the elf. Aarivale motioned for Lomewen to follow her, and follow she did.   
  


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    "Where are you taking me?" Asked Lomewen. The girl clung to Aarivale's waist as they rode through the plains. Lomewen stared at her surroundings in wonder. They were familiar to her, although she had never rode in this direction. A rock formation appeared in the distance. "Weathertop," Lomewen whispered. She had never seen Weathertop before, but she knew what it looked like from paintings and stories. "Where are you taking me?" She asked again.   
  
    "To a place where they welcome outsiders with stories and news, and to a place where the Evil is not known of yet," Riddled Aarivale. Lomewen grumbled. She was not a hobbit and preferred answers and questions to make sense. Lomewen closed her eyes wearily and rested her head on Aarivale's shoulder, drifting off into a light sleep.   
  


* * * *

  
  
    "Lomewen, wake up. We've arrived." Lomewen blinked her eyes open to see Aarivale looking over her shoulder at the girl behind her. Lomewen sleepily slipped off the horse and marveled at her surroundings. The sun was just beginning to rise. Lomewen asked Aarivale if they had been riding all night. "All night and the three days that followed. You were asleep the whole time, something must have been tiring you out. Lomewen was shocked to find out that she had been sleeping for four days.   
    The young part-elf looked closely at the hills in front of her. She was so tired that she didn't notice that each hill contained a small, round, green door. "The Shire!" Lomewen exclaimed in surprise.   
  
    "Yes, milady." A male voice replied behind her. Lomewen turned around in shock to find a short man. He was only about four and a half feet tall and he wore a green scarf around his neck. "The name's Peregrin Took, but my friends call me Pippin." Lomewen smiled. _Hobbits,_ she had never met one in person, but she heard a great deal about them. The name Pippin was familiar to her. Then she pinpointed it. Pip was one of the nine in the fellowship. "Why don't you two lasses come and have some tea." Pippin started walking to a nearby hole; Lomewen stared at his large hairy feet. Aarivale sighed and grabbed Lome's arm and dragged her to Pippin's hole.   
  
    Lomewen sat at the small table in Pippin's kitchen. The hobbit puffed his pipe as his wife, Diamond, tended the kettle over the fire. "It was then," Pippin continued his story, "Gandalf stood near the middle of the bridge, holding his staff in one hand and a sword in the other he called out to the Ballrog, 'You SHALL NOT pass!' A bluish shield formed around Gandalf, protection him from the Ballrog's fire. The monster pulled out a fiery whip and advanced on the the bridge cracking his weapon. The bridge cracked and broke under his weight and he fell to his death. The Ballrog cracked the whip one more time and caught Gandalf around the ankle pulling him down as well."   
  
    Diamond smiled as she pulled the kettle from the fire, "You tell that story to all your guest, even if they have heard it before." Lomewen giggled at the joke and watched as Diamond poured hot water into her cup. Lome took a few tealeaves and dropped them into the water and watched as a light brown cloud seeped out of them. A knock at the door interrupted their silence.   
  
    Diamond opened up the door to reveal Aragorn. She bowed to the king and beckoned him in. Aragorn ducked under the low doorframe and walked into the kitchen, following Diamond. Aarivale and Pippin stood up and bowed as well. Only Lomewen remained seated. "Elderian told me that I could find you here, Lomewen. I rode off after you after the banquet was postponed for your concern."   
  
    "I always thought I was Elrond's favorite," Lomewen said shyly. Pippin looked dumbfounded not knowing he was in the presence of a princess.   
  
    "Fool of a Took," Aragorn said with a laugh, "Don't you think its strange when two elves show up in the Shire?" Aragorn asked. Pippin smiled and ran to hug his old friend. "I hope you don't mind if the King joins you for tea," Aragorn chuckled.   
  
    "No, oh no, not at all. I would be glad to share stories with you, but I'm afraid that all my good stories involve our adventure together, Strider," Pippin smiled taking a seat and Aragorn did the same.   
  
    "Strider?" Lomewen asked her father, never have heard the name before.   
  
    "It was my name when I was a Ranger," Aragorn replied, dropping tealeaves into his cup of water that Diamond poured for him. Aarivale rose from the table to leave, she felt as if she was no longer needed. Aragorn placed his hand on her arm, to stop her from leaving. "Stay," He said. The girl nodded and sat back down. She picked up her cup of tea and sipped the hot liquid. 


	8. Lomewen's Journal

**Dusk Maiden   
Chapter 8**

  
  
_    I just got back from the Shire. Papa and I stayed there for about a week, but Aarivale went home after the tea with Peregrin and Diamond. I am used to being shorter than everyone else, back in Rivendel, but in the Shire, only Papa is taller than me.   
  
    Peregrin and Diamond gave us rooms to stay in, and in the morning, Papa took me to meet the other three hobbits from the fellowship. Meradoc and Samwise acted just like the way Papa said in his stories, but Frodo seemed dark and tortured. There was something about him that made me just want to stay with him in the Shire. He clung on to Papa and Samwise. It seemed like he needed a friend that was there for him, not someone who was only a friend because he was a hero.   
  
    On the third and fourth day in the Shire, Papa let me explore. Meradoc wanted to show me Farmer Magott's farm, but I refused. Papa told me about how they got in trouble everytime they went. Instead I followed Frodo around. He didn't know that I was following him, or until he stopped to write and I sat down next to him. He seemed to be writing some sort of story. I remember Gandalf once telling me when I was young, that Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's uncle, wrote a story about his adventure to the Lonely mountain and how he defeated Smaug the dragon. I wondered in Frodo was writing a story about his adventures to Mordor, but when I sat down next to him, I could see otherwise.   
  
    Frodo was keeping a journal. He seemed so serious when writing it and I began to wonder what he had written. When I peered over his shoulder I could read his writing:
_   
  


So you see, everyone treats me like a trophy. They don't care how I act, they just want to be around a hero. Even Sam in preoccupied with Rosie, so I'm all by myself again. I just want someone who can appreciate me for who I am despite the fact that I was the ringbearer.

  
  
    _I was right. Journal, what I did then and there I will never regret. I sat down next to Frodo Baggins and put my arm around his shoulder. Frodo realized that I had read his journal and began to cry. Not bursting out in tears, but silently. Journal, I will never forget the feeling of his strong body heaving beneath my arm.   
  
    The night of the sixth day, we left. Meradoc, Peregrin, Rosie, Diamond, and Samwise gathered to bid us farewell. I looked for Frodo, but he wasn't there. When I mounted Papa's horse, Peregrin gave me the scarf that he wore on the adventure. I treasure that scarf. It has worn thin with age and use, but there is still some use left in it. Papa bid farewell to his friends and we rode off into the setting sun.   
  
    When I got back, Morwen seemed excited to tell me something that she had discovered in the library, but I didn't want to hear her talk. I retreated to my room. And sat on my bed. Papa had given me this journal many years before, but I found no reason to use it, until now. I opened up this journal, to this crisp, new page, and began to write. I learned an unspoken lesson back in the Shire. One that I will carry with me all my life.   
  
  
**Lomewen**
_


End file.
